This month, the allergy community came together at EAACI Congress 2026 in Istanbul, where EFA brought the Atopical Lives photo exhibition to a wider allergy and clinical immunology audience. As part of our Atopic Eczema #BreakTheInvisibleBurden campaign, the exhibition shared the experiences of people with atopic eczema and reminded us that the burden of this disease goes far beyond the skin, affecting sleep, mental health, social life, treatment access and household costs. 

I would like to warmly thank our members and patient organisations who visited the exhibition and supported the campaign during the congress. Their engagement is essential to making the daily reality of atopic eczema patients more visible and to ensuring that their needs are reflected in discussions on care, access and policy. 

Later in the month, I represented EFA at the EUFOREA Respiratory Summit 2026 in London, joining the panel on patient and policy perspectives on the prevention of chronic respiratory diseases. This was another important moment to underline how the EU can contribute to the implementation of the WHA Resolution on lung health adopted last year, through a dedicated European Lung Health Plan. 

Finally, we’ve published EFA’s Annual Impact Report 2025, highlighting the work and achievements accomplished, together with our community of members and partners, to amplify the voice of patients with allergies, asthma, COPD and atopic eczema in Europe. I invite you to read it. If you are not yet either EFA member, or our partner, please reach out to us to make impact together.   

Warm regards,

Károly Illy, 
EFA President 
+31 6 81463663 

EFA’s Annual Impact Report 2025 is now available, highlighting a year of stronger patient advocacy, growing community engagement and progress for people living with allergy, asthma, COPD and atopic eczema. In 2025, EFA supported advocacy around two landmark World Health Assembly resolutions on lung health and skin diseases, launched the first European Respiratory Patient Academy, and advanced work on care, prevention, research and patient involvement. The report reflects the collective efforts of EFA members, partners and patient advocates across Europe and beyond.

EFA brought the Atopical Lives photo exhibition to EAACI Congress 2026 in Istanbul as part of the #BreakTheInvisibleBurden campaign on atopic eczema. Real patient stories showed why atopic eczema needs better recognition, care and policy action, as its daily burden affects sleep, mental health, social life, treatment access and household costs. EFA Director Susanna Palkonen also spoke in the EAACI Patient Organisations Committee session on access to breakthrough therapies, highlighting the importance of patient involvement in development of innovative treatments and joint advocacy. The Congress was also a valuable opportunity to meet our members, patient organisations, clinicians, academics and partners. 

EFA has responded to the European Chemicals Agency consultation on the proposed EU-wide restriction of PFAS, focusing on the potential impact for people with asthma and COPD who rely on pressurised metered-dose inhalers. EFA supports action to reduce environmental harm from PFAS, but highlights that any transition must protect patient health, access and affordability. In our position paper, we call for a full health impact assessment, stronger involvement of patient evidence and the European Medicines Agency and clear information for patients and healthcare professionals. The transition to greener medicines must be safe, gradual and centred on patients’ real-life needs.  

On 10 June, EFA joined the annual PARC Stakeholder Forum meeting on chemical risk assessment in Europe. EFA was represented by Anna Gayer from our member Polish Federation of Asthma, Allergy and COPD Patients’ Organisations. The meeting focused on how chemical risks can be better assessed, especially for vulnerable groups such as people with allergies and chronic respiratory diseases. EFA welcomed the focus on chemical mixtures, skin sensitisation and inhaled substances, and stressed the need to make scientific findings easier to understand for patients and the public. 

At the SynAir-G third workshop in Brussels, EFA helped bring the issue closer to patients, families and policymakers. EFA’s Valeria Ramiconi moderated a patient panel, where EFA member representatives Špela Novak (Slovenia) and Mikaela Odemyr (Sweden) shared the daily reality of living with asthma, allergies and atopic eczema. Indoor air quality data must reach the people who can act on it. EFA will continue working with SynAir-G partners to turn research into healthier schools across Europe.

SynAir-G joined Horizon Europe partners working on indoor air quality and health for a final summit of the IDEAL Cluster. As part of the SynAir-G project, EFA helped bring the patient and policy perspective into the discussion. EFA’s Panagiotis-Minos Chaslaridis moderated the high-level policy session, calling for a coherent EU framework on indoor air quality and supporting the call to turn scientific evidence, tools and guidelines into healthier schools, homes and public spaces.

On 11 June, EFA and the EU-funded SynAir-G project brought the issue of the indoor air in schools to the European Parliament. Hosted by MEP Aurelijus Veryga, the roundtable gathered researchers, clinicians, patient advocates and policymakers to discuss how science can support stronger action on indoor air quality. EFA contributed through its role in SynAir-G communications, dissemination and policy work, while EFA member representatives Mikaela Odemyr (Sweden) and Špela Novak (Slovenia) brought the lived reality of asthma and allergies into the debate. Healthier schools need evidence, policy and the patient voice working together!